Plate clamp



Dec. 7, 1937. w. GEGENHEIMER' 2,10L73 r PLATE CLAMP 'Filed Aug. 2e, 1956 ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLATE CLAlVIP Application August 26, 1936, Serial No. 98,094

1 Claim.

This invention relates to plate clamps and particularly to means for fastening printing plates to a cylinder for lithograph or intaglio printing.

The primary object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide means whereby the printing plate may be easily and quickly applied to and maintained rmly upon the cylinder, and in such manner that the necessary accurate or minute adjustments may be made without difficulty.

l A further object is to provide means in connection with the clamp of a plate cylinder for holding the plate firmly and properly in position,

which means are readily accessible and easily operated for attachment or removal of the plate l or in making the necessary adjustments thereof.

With these objects in View, together with others which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawing and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a plate cylinder equipped with a plate clamping or holding means embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially upon line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken through a portion of the plate cylinder and illustrating more particularly the construction of the improved holding means.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the plate cylinder is indicated at 4 while 5 35 represents the blanket cylinder; the operation and function of which are well understood. The plate cylinder is hollow and is open as at 6 at one side and throughout substantially its entire length in order that clamping means for the ends of the plate l `may be arranged entirely within the cylinder. The cylinder is also provided with a pair of shafts 8 adjacent to the opening 6 and which support the clamping means for the plate ends. The cylinder is also provided with 45 a supporting rib 9 disposed adjacent to the periphery of the cylinder and lengthwise thereof; the said rib being disposed midway between the spaced shafts 8.

The clamps for holding the plate in position 0 are arranged in proper relationship longitudinally upon the shafts 8, and as they are identical in construction only one will be described.

The clamp includes a lever I0 taking somewhat the form of a bell crank lever with arms Il and l2 disposed at substantially right angles to each other. The lever is pivoted at its mid portion upon the shaft 8, and the arm Il thereof is equipped with a clamp jaw I3 pivoted as at I4 and operable by means of the screw I5 as is well 5 known.

The arm l2 of the lever extends behind the rib El and is engaged by an adjusting pin in the f form of a screw i6 passing through and supported by the rib 9. The arrangement is such 10 that the screws I6 are disposed substantially parallel with the screws l5 for the clamp plate, and the operative ends of all of said screws are exposed through the opening 6 and are thus readily accessible at all times.

The clamps are arranged in pairs for engagement with opposite ends of the printing plate at proper intervals throughout the length of thel cylinder, and the operation of securing the plate edges to the clamps thus arranged is well known. After the ends are secured and tightening and adjustments are required it is but necessary to manipulate the pins or screws I6 by the use of a suitable wrench.

By constructing and arranging the clamps in this manner, it is obvious that all adjustments required in properly litting the plate to the cylinder may easily and quickly be made by the use of a single tool which may be so arranged as to operate all of the screws. The operative portions of the several adjusting screws are plainly visible and readily accessible through the open side of the cylinder which greatly facilitates the application of the plate to the cylinder as well as adjustments thereon.

What I claim is:

In a plate clamp, a cylinder having an opening in its periphery, a supporting rib inwardly of the circumference of said cylinder and within said opening, levers rockably mounted in said cylinder one on each side of said rib, clampsI on said levers, an arm for each lever underlying said rib, adjusting members on said rib engaged with said arms for rocking the latter, screws on said clamps for operating the same, and the adjusting members and screws being substantially parallel with each other, having their operating portions disposed substantially equal distances from the axis of the cylinder and all located relatively close together, thus permitting of adjustments of all said members and screws in one position of adjustment of the cylinder.

WILLIAM GEGENHEILEER. 

